West Wind: The Vision of Tom Thomson

The mystery surround the iconic Canadian painter Tom Thomson’s death in 1917 has sometimes overshadowed his great creative achievement. This gorgeous new documentary from the makers of the recent Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould gives precedence to Thomson’s life and, most importantly, his art, and makes the case that Thomson was truly a world-class talent. Shot in Algonquin Park, Georgian Bay, Seattle, and Toronto, West Wind unearths rare archival materials, never-before-seen Thomson works, and — the enduring Thomson mystery being impossible to avoid altogether — even some human remains. “Peter Raymont and Michèle Hozer investigate a genius and the nature of his genius. What made Thomson one of the first to recognize the beauty of the Canadian terroir, portraying our swamps, trees, and skies with such glorious energy? He witnessed the dramatic colours, moods, and intensity of the woods and responded with bold compositions, thick, rhythmic brushstrokes, and a shocking palette. Tom Thomson painted some 45 canvasses and over 300 sketches in an extraordinary creative burst in the last four years of his life. The directors have created a very enjoyable, visually stunning, and thoughtful reflection on that life” (Vancouver I.F.F.). Colour, HDCAM. 95 mins.